Adjustable switch.



"no. -7|2;os2. Patented on. 28,- I902. E. W. HARDEN, w. u. BABBE'& m. E, DEMPSEY.

' ADJUSTABLE SWITCH.

(Ap lication filed Oct. 11, 1901,) (Ila Iodel.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD W. HARDEN, WILLIAM H. RABBE, AND MICHAEL E. DEMPSEY, OF

HAMILTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE AMERICAN FROG (I5 SWITCH COM- PANY, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, .A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,062, dated October 28, 1902. Application filed October 11, 1901. Serial No. 78,367. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD W. HARDEN, WILLIAM H. RABBE, and MICHAEL E. DEMP- SEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Hamilton, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Switches, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates particularly to switches employing so-called split-switch rails.

The object of our invention is to provide simple, strong, and durable means for efiecte ing the adjustment of the split-switch rail I 5 with relation to the shifting-bar; and our invention consists in the-parts and in the construction, arrangement, and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved device shown as applied to a railroad. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of our improved device shown as applied to one side of the tracks, with the stationary and movable rails in cross-section on the line mmof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same with the stationary track-rail omitted. Fig. 4 is an end view of the connecting-bar.

The stationary rails are shown at A and B,

while 0 and D represent the movable splitswitch rails, which latter are adapted to slide upon friction-plates E. When the switch is thrown so that the Wheels of a car passing thereover will follow the rails A and D, being the position indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the wheel-flanges will take against the facesaand d, and when the switch is thrown oppositely, so that the Wheels will follow the rails B and O, the wheel-flanges will take 40 against the faces I) and c, causing wear upon those faces. When the face a or b has become worn, its neighboring split-switch rail will fail to make,proper contact with it. Either face a or b may wear more quickly than the other, depending on the amount of work to which it is subjected. We have pro vided novel means, which we will now describe, for progressively compensating for this wear or providing other side adjustment 5c of the movable rail that may be desirable.

F is a switch-bar, which may be connected with the connecting-link extending from the switch-stand in any ordinary manner. An arm G is rigid with relation to the switch-bar 1 and may be secured thereto by rivets g. It extends longitudinally of the switch-bar toward the split-switch rail with which it is desired to connect, leaving a space g between the arm and the bar.

H is a connecting-bar for connecting with the split-switch rail. It is rigidly secured to the split-switch rail. It has a shank h, which takes in to the space 9. The upper and lower faces of the shank contact with the inner faces of the space or gap between the bar and 7 arm substantially throughout the area of the gap, forming a long and strong-bearing between the same, afiording exceptional r1- gidity. In the shank h are a series of holes 72/, preferably a given distance apart, shown numbered from 1 to 6. Series of mated holes f g also shown numbered from 1 to 6, are respectively in the switch bar and arm, also, preferably, a given distance apart, the d stance between the holes of these latter series 75 varying, however, from the distance between the holes in the shank it. Thus the holes in the shank 71 may be one-eighth inch apart and the holes f and g be, respectively, onefourth inch apart. A securing-bolt I takes through corresponding holes of all the series, and thereby determines the normal position of the bar H,and.consequently of thesplit-switch rail, with relation to the switch-bar. The bolt has a nut at its end for clamping the inner faces of the bar and arm against the upper and lower faces of the shank h of the switch-lug or connecting-bar, theclamping action extendinglongitudinallyofthebarand arm,and thus clamping the faces together throughout their length and bracing all the parts. Thus in i the drawings the securing-bolt is shown taking through the first holes of the series. When the side impact-face of the stationary rail has become sufliciently worn to make it 5 advisable to take up the wear, the securingbolt is removed from the holes 1 and the holes 2 or other advancing number of the series of holes caused to register by moving the shank h longitudinally between the arm G and switch-bar F, thus shifting the split-switch rail toward its neighboring stationary rail and compensating for the wear of the latter in convenient manner without sidewise movement or displacement of any of the parts, the securing-bolt being then placed through the holes that are thus caused to register and the parts firmly secured together. Each splitswitch rail may be provided with our improved adjustable connection, so that each split-switch rail may be adjusted independently with relation to the switch-bar and preferably without affecting the throw of the switch-bar.

The connecting-bar H is a heavy metal bar, having the shank h and an upturned and sidewardly-extending end-72 by which it is secured to the split-switch rail, between which and the shank is a reversely-curved and flaring brace 7L The shank It extends between the bar F and arm G, which latter may be made separately from both the connectingbar and switch-bar, the whole forming an eX- ceptionally strong and cheap as well as simple and effective construction and adjustment for the purposes intended. The parts, especially at the brace 7L3, are subjected to great strains, which our construction is adapted to withstand in an effectual manner.

If it is desired for sake of safeguard or otherwise, the split-switch rails may be interconnected by one or more additional devices of the character described, in which latter,

however, the switch-bar is not connected with the switch-stand, but may serve the function of a connecting-bar between the split-switch rails.

We claim- In an adjustable switch, the combination with a switch-rail and a switch-bar, of an arm secured to the switch-bar and having a free portion extending over and longitudinally of the switch-bar and separated therefrom by a space, said arm and switch-bar each having a plurality of apertures or perforations, a connecting-bar secured to the switch-rail and provided with a series of apertures spaced diiferently from the apertures in the switchbar and arm, said connecting-bar substantially filling the space between the arm and switch-bar and in contact with them substantially throughout its length, and a fastening passing through the apertures in the arm and switch-bar and the connecting-bar, whereby the connecting-bar is clamped therebetween and double sheared thereby.

In witness whereof we have signed our names hereto in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD W. I'IARDEN. WILLIAM H. RABBE. MICHAEL E. DEMPSEY.

Witnesses:

E. S. GRIFFIS, GEO. ASHTON. 

